[Intercultural adaptation of the AIMS in German language: A scale for abnormal involuntary movements]. / Interkulturelle Adaption der AIMS in deutscher Sprache : Eine Skala für abnorme unwillkürliche Bewegungen.

BACKGROUND: Dyskinesias are abnormal involuntary movements and occur across many movement disorders. In Parkinson's disease dyskinesias can be troublesome and are a determinant of the quality of life throughout the course of the disease. Assessment and rating of dyskinesias is thus important for clinical assessment of patients, as well as for academic studies and clinical trials. The abnormal involuntary movement scale (AIMS) is an English language standardised, reliable and validated scale to evaluate dyskinesias. In this article we present a linguistically validated German version of AIMS. METHODS: The intercultural adaptation of the German translation was performed following an internationally accepted procedure. Firstly, two neurologists independently translated the original into German. Taking both versions into account, a consensus version was agreed on by both translators and was tested on 10 patients. This preliminary German version was then independently translated back into the original language by two different neurologists, and again, a consensus version was agreed on. All translators then compared this English version to the original. Subsequently, the German version was linguistically modified until it resulted in a final German version, which was agreed on by all translators, deemed linguistically acceptable, and the translation back into English was considered to be as unambiguous as possible. This final German version of AIMS was applied to 50 patients in two different hospitals for diagnostic purposes and tested for feasibility and comprehension. RESULTS: In this paper, we present an intercultural adaptation of a linguistically validated German version of AIMS.

[Recommendations for standarsized psychological diagnosis in Parkinson patients]. / Vorschläge für eine standardisierte psychologische Diagnostik bei Parkinsonpatienten.

In addition to the motor symptoms of Morbus Parkinson, a number of cognitive and emotional changes take place. The diagnosis of these concomitant symptoms has received increasing attention in research and clinical practice. Global rating scales offer economical advantages but generally do not satisfy the requirements of psychometric criteria, and they do not suffice in light of the multidimensional symptoms of the disease. Based on recent research results, recommendations from the CAPSIT protocol (Core Assessment Program for Surgical Interventional Therapies) for diagnosis of neurosurgically treated Parkinson's patients, and the restraints of everyday clinical work, we propose a standardized neuropsychological diagnostic routine. It includes diagnostic methods that are in use internationally and so timesaving and easily accessible that they can be considered suitable for routine diagnostics. Data comparison among various treatment centers can thus take place more easily. We have included only methods that differentiate well and whose test criteria offer a basis for thorough consultation as well as planning and evaluation of multidimensional therapy.

Cortical and subcortical afferent connections of the squirrel monkey's (lateral) premotor cortex: evidence for visual cortical afferents.

The afferent connections of the squirrel monkey's lateral premotor cortex were investigated with the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) technique. Seven monkeys received small, unilateral injections of HRP spaced between the most dorsal and the most lateral region of the premotor cortex. Results are based on six brains, all of which showed a considerable number of labeled neurons both cortically and subcortically. At the cortical level, labeled cells were found both ipsi- and contralateral to the injection site. Heavy labeling occurred in the fields surrounding the prefrontal, central, and precentral cortex, while the temporal regions usually innervated the premotor cortex with a moderate number of cells, and the parietal fields with only a minor number. Surprisingly, in all brains, but especially in those with the more lateral injections, we also found a considerable number of afferents originating from occipital fields, including a few neurons from the striate cortex. Subcortically, a few labeled cells were seen in basal forebrain regions, the amygdala, and the claustrum; a considerable number of thalamic nuclei and also some hypothalamic nuclei contained labeled cells; and within the brainstem, labeling was found most consistently in the locus ceruleus and in the tegmental fields. It is concluded that the (lateral) premotor cortex is involved in sensorimotor integration to a higher degree than has been recognized up to now.

Cortical and subcortical afferent connections of the primate's temporal pole: a study of rhesus monkeys, squirrel monkeys, and marmosets.

The afferent connections of the primate's temporopolar cortex were investigated with the retrograde horseradish peroxidase technique. Old World and New World monkeys received small unilateral injections of horseradish peroxidase. These labeled cells in a number of cortical, thalamic, and brainstem regions and in a few further telencephalic and diencephalic regions. Cortically, the neighboring areas of the inferior and superior temporal gyrus and the insula contained a considerable number of labeled cells. Furthermore, a substantial projection arose from the orbitofrontal and the frontopolar cortex. The cingulate gyrus contained only very few labeled cells. Interhemispherically, corticocortical connections arose mainly from temporal lobe areas. Labeled cells were seen in various regions of the basal forebrain and cells labeled only faintly in the lateral and basal accessory nuclei of the amygdala. The claustrum contained labeled neurons only in one rhesus monkey. On the diencephalic level, the caudal medial portion of the medial pulvinar was the principal thalamic source of afferents to the temporopolar cortex. Furthermore, labeled cells were found in the neighboring, caudal part of the mediodorsal nucleus, within and along the nucleus limitans, in the medial geniculate nucleus, and in several nuclei of the nonspecific system. The fields of Forel, the zona incerta, and lateral and dorsomedial hypothalamic areas contained a few labeled cells. Within the brainstem of the rhesus monkeys those regions projecting diffusely to the cortex contained a few labeled neurons. Furthermore, these brains had some labeled cells in the regions of the nuclei medialis annuli aqueductus, tractus mesencephalicus nervi trigemini, and trochlearis. Although among the three species differences in the cortical and thalamic projection patterns were observed, the regions projecting most densely to the temporal pole were similar in principle. This statement holds in particular for cortical and thalamic sites. However, the greatest number of labeled cells was found in the rhesus monkey, a fact that cannot be attributed solely to the size of the horseradish peroxidase injections and the size of the brain, but that appears rather to represent a true species difference. From our results we conclude that the temporopolar cortex constitutes a cortical area necessary for effective affectional-sensory integration.